New International Version NIV
Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
1 Then Job replied:
1
Then Job answered, and said:
2 “I have heard many things like these; you are miserable comforters, all of you!
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I have often heard such things as these: you are all troublesome comforters.
3 Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing?
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Shall windy words have no end? or is it any trouble to thee to speak?
4 I also could speak like you, if you were in my place; I could make fine speeches against you and shake my head at you.
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I also could speak like you: and would God your soul were for my soul. (16-5) I would comfort you also with words, and would wag my head over you.
5 But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.
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(16-6) I would strengthen you with my mouth, and would move my lips, as sparing you.
6 “Yet if I speak, my pain is not relieved; and if I refrain, it does not go away.
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(16-7) But what shall I do? If I speak, my pain will not rest: and if I hold my peace, it will not depart from me.
7 Surely, God, you have worn me out; you have devastated my entire household.
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(16-8) But now my sorrow hath oppressed me, and all my limbs are brought to nothing.
8 You have shriveled me up—and it has become a witness; my gauntness rises up and testifies against me.
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(16-9) My wrinkles bear witness against me, and a false speaker riseth up against my face, contradicting me.
9 God assails me and tears me in his anger and gnashes his teeth at me; my opponent fastens on me his piercing eyes.
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(16-10) He hath gathered together his fury against me, and threatening me he hath gnashed with his teeth upon me: my enemy hath beheld me with terrible eyes.
10 People open their mouths to jeer at me; they strike my cheek in scorn and unite together against me.
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(16-11) They have opened their mouths upon me, and reproaching me they have struck me on the cheek, they are filled with my pains.
11 God has turned me over to the ungodly and thrown me into the clutches of the wicked.
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(16-12) God hath shut me up with the unjust man, and hath delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
12 All was well with me, but he shattered me; he seized me by the neck and crushed me. He has made me his target;
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(16-13) I that was formerly so wealthy, am all on a sudden broken to pieces: he hath taken me by my neck, he hath broken me, and hath set me up to be his mark.
13 his archers surround me. Without pity, he pierces my kidneys and spills my gall on the ground.
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(16-14) He hath compassed me round about with his lances, he hath wounded my loins, he hath not spared, and hath poured out my bowels on the earth,
14 Again and again he bursts upon me; he rushes at me like a warrior.
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(16-15) He hath torn me with wound upon wound, he hath rushed in upon me like a giant.
15 “I have sewed sackcloth over my skin and buried my brow in the dust.
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(16-16) I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, and have covered my flesh with ashes.
16 My face is red with weeping, dark shadows ring my eyes;
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(16-17) My face is swollen with weeping, and my eyelids are dim.
17 yet my hands have been free of violence and my prayer is pure.
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(16-18) These things have I suffered without the iniquity of my hand, when I offered pure prayers to God.
18 “Earth, do not cover my blood; may my cry never be laid to rest!
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(16-19) O earth, cover not thou my blood, neither let my cry find a hiding place in thee.
19 Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high.
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(16-20) For behold my witness is in heaven, and he that knoweth my conscience is on high.
20 My intercessor is my friend as my eyes pour out tears to God;
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(16-21) My friends are full of words: my eye poureth out tears to God.
21 on behalf of a man he pleads with God as one pleads for a friend.
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(16-22) And O that a man might so be judged with God, as the son of man is judged with his companion!
22 “Only a few years will pass before I take the path of no return.
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(16-23) For behold short years pass away, and I am walking in a path by which I shall not return.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.